Message: "Silva" - Behind the Name

[Opinions] Silva

by Ani (peonini)

2/1/2021, 12:55 PM

I recently stumbled across the name Silva [f]. It’s apparently a Slavic short form of the name Silviya | Silvija. It also interested me because I am aware that it’s a very common surname in a handful of South American countries (in fact it’s evidently THE most common surname in Brazil and Portugal ((Yes I know Portugal is not in SA)). Due to it’s history as a surname, I can also quite easily see it used on a boy.

✛ Silva Alexandra
✛ Silva Arabella
✛ Silva Bronwen
✛ Silva Colette
✛ Silva Delilah
✛ Silva Diana
✛ Silva Evangeline
✛ Silva Iris
✛ Silva Isis
✛ Silva Jasmine
✛ Silva Magdalen
✛ Silva Marjorie
✛ Silva Marlowe
✛ Silva Maxine
✛ Silva Melanie
✛ Silva Miriana
✛ Silva Natalia
✛ Silva Rebekah
✛ Silva Regina
✛ Silva Rhiannon
✛ Silva Xanthe

✛ Silva Arin
✛ Silva Adam
✛ Silva Adrian
✛ Silva Amadeus
✛ Silva Andrew
✛ Silva Angel [ahn-hel]
✛ Silva Cristian [KREES-tyan]
✛ Silva Elias [eh-LEE-us]
✛ Silva Henri
✛ Silva Jesse
✛ Silva Sterling
✛ Silva Tiberius
✛ Silva Tristan
✛ Silva Xavier

BQ: WDYT of Silver?

_________________
Used to be Azula

Please rate my lists. All of them are ratable except for the Main list and the Surname list. :)

https://www.behindthename.com/pnl/174843/136906

#Silva

Replies

- Manipura (glaucous)

2/2/2021, 2:00 PM

It's okay. I could like it in the right combo.

But my instinct is to read the V as a W, because my only frame of reference for it is Latin.
And when I pronounce the V, it sounds annoyingly like Silver (which makes Silva Sterling as a combo comical).

My favorites of your combos were Silva Marlowe and Silva Henri.

The first combos I thought of for each gender were Silva Rosamere and Silva Oberon.
(I liked Silva Nicomedes, of the other suggestions.)

My first association with Silver is Long John Silver's. So, pirates. Then...anime? for some reason. I don't particularly like it.

This message was edited 2/2/2021, 2:09 PM

- Dracotorix +2

2/2/2021, 10:57 AM

I like Silva on a girl, but just because it's a surname doesn't make it work on a boy, it sounds too feminine. I like Silvio for a boy.

I like:
✛ Silva Bronwen
✛ Silva Colette
✛ Silva Diana
✛ Silva Iris
✛ Silva Isis
✛ Silva Jasmine
✛ Silva Magdalen
✛ Silva Miriana
✛ Silva Rhiannon

For the boys I like the sounds of these (and gender bends):
✛ Silva Adrian - could also be a girl
✛ Silva Amadeus - Silva Amadea for a girl
✛ Silva Angel - could also be a girl
✛ Silva Tiberius
✛ Silva Tristan - Silva Tristane foe a girl?

(Silva Xanthe is too "silver and gold" and Silva Sterling is too "sterling silver".)

I like Silver as a nickname or full name for an animal but not as a full human name. I like Argenta for a girl and maybe Argent for a boy?

- Ani (peonini)

2/2/2021, 7:09 PM

You’re right about Xanthe and Sterling, I didn’t make the connection at first (obviously).

- Jela (Izaris)

2/2/2021, 11:35 AM

I agree

Silva is not enough for masculine usage, IMO.

- Higuma Kanora +2

2/2/2021, 12:39 AM

I'm a fan of Silva on a boy (my favorite combo is Silva Nicomedes), but it's also really nice as a girl's name. It still retains that classic elegance of Silvia.

I like
Silva Colette
Silva Marjorie
Silva Rhiannon

Silva Amadeus
Silva Xavier

Silver seems more like a character name than a real name, even though it does sound a lot like Silva.